Balkans | Sadik Selimović will bury his brother, a victim of the Srebrenica genocide, on July 11

Sadiq Suleimovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina bids farewell to his brother Sabahattin Selimović, born in 1964, who died in the genocide in July 1995 in Srebrenica, in the east of the country, for eternal peace at the mass funeral ceremony that will be held on July 11. .

Sadiq Suleimovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina bids farewell to his brother Sabahattin Selimović, born in 1964, who died in the genocide in July 1995 in Srebrenica, in the east of the country, for eternal peace at the mass funeral ceremony that will be held on July 11. .

61-year-old Selimović, inspector of the Institute of Missing Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told correspondent A.A.

Selimovic pointed out that his father Bagru, the older brothers Hassan, born in 1952, Hajar al-Din, born in 1955, and brother Sabah al-Din, born in 1964, lost many close relatives in the genocide, which is described as the largest human tragedy in Europe after the second. World War He said that his brother Sabah al-Din, who reached his bones last year, will also be buried in the mass funeral ceremony that will be held next July.

Selimović indicated that his brother Sabah al-Din will be buried alongside his father and brothers whom he buried in previous years, and said that after the war he participated in the studies organized to find war victims across the country.

“In April 1992 I went to the city of Brcko with my wife and two children, we were warned to stay away from there and we decided to go to the Gunja region of Croatia.” He said.

Selimović stated that he went to Srebrenica on foot from Tuzla where he went after Brcko because of what happened in Srebrenica during this process, and said that he stayed here until 1995.

“I thought there were survivors between 1995-1997”

Selimović stated that he was wounded on 9 July 1995 and his brothers put him in a truck on 11 July and took him to the UNMIBH base in Potocari.

Indicating that they were on their way the next day to the safe zone in Kladani, Selimović said, “They sent us to Tiska, not letting us through. Then they sent us to Potocari and from there to the military hospital in Bratunac, where we stayed for 7 days.” He said.

Selimović expressed that they were taken to the concentration camp in Batković from here, he said that they were disturbed by Serbs along the way, he was held for two and a half months and was exchanged with a Serbian prisoner on 29 September.

Selimović indicated that he learned about what happened in Srebrenica after his exchange, and said that he knew that his father, brothers, brother and many relatives were unable to reach the safe area.

Selimović said, “I started searching. I thought there were survivors between 1995-1997, but I found out that they were killed within 10-15 days because of my work. Thanks to my work, I found the bones of my older brother, Hajrudin, born in 1955. We found him in the Kameniko Brdo district “. Use phrases.

Salimovich confirmed that they had found the bones of his father, Bagru, after Hijru al-Din, and said that they had found the bones of 1,000 people during excavations in the mass grave in Kamenica, in which he also participated, and that the bones of his brother, Hassan, who was born in it. 1952, also found here.

“My brother walked in the woods long after the fall of Srebrenica”

Stating that they found the bones of his brother Sabahattin, who will be buried this year, Selimović said, “My brother walked in the forest for a long time after the fall of Srebrenica. He survived 2-3 ambushes but failed to survive.” He said.

Expressing that what he went through was very difficult, Selimović said:

“I had some incentive to find this brother, and now I know I will complete that circle. After each funeral, I somehow felt more at ease. I don’t know if I can say more at ease? The people who have to prosecute them hurt them.”

Many mass graves are hidden and they are still searching for about 1,000 victims, Selimović said, “It would be better for them to tell us where these graves are because we will find them.” Use the phrase.

30 genocide victims will be buried at this year’s commemoration

Srebrenica, declared a safe zone by the United Nations during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was occupied on July 11, 1995 by the Serbian forces of the Serbian commander Ratko Mladic.

As for the Bosnian civilians who sought refuge with Dutch soldiers inside the United Nations after the occupation, they were handed over to the Serbs. 8,372 Bosniaks who were put on buses and trucks were brutally murdered in the forest areas, factories and warehouses where they were transported. The bodies of the dead were buried in various mass graves across the country.

After the war, the victims whose bodies were found were buried in mass graves in an effort to find the missing in a ceremony held at the Potocari Memorial Cemetery on 11 July each year after their identification.

Potocari Memorial Cemetery contains the graves of 6,721 genocide victims. On the 28th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide this year, another 30 genocide victims, who have been identified and approved by their families, will be buried at the Potocari Memorial Cemetery.

AA